Mail-box, &amp; c.



No. 683,48l. Patented Oct. l, |9 0|.

J. McLANE.

. MAIL BOX, 8w.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1900.) (No Model.)

161mm, Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OIIN MOLANE, OF MILFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

'MAlL-BOX, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,481, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed March 29 1900. Serial Ko. 10 ,626- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MOLANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milford, in

the county of Hillsboro and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Boxes and Similar Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to post oflice and other mail-boxes and similar receptacles, and has for its object to provide means to enable the letters, postal cards, or other mail and similar matter to be readily picked up from the bottom of the receptacle and removed therefrom.

In mail-boxes and similar receptacles as nowconstructed considerable difficulty is experienced in picking up from the smooth solid bottom the letters or cards, especially those of small size, lying fiat on the bottom. My invention is intended to overcome this difficulty, and to this end it consists of the means hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of box with top taken on, and Fig. 2 a section on line m a; of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A is a mail-box. Extending from wall to wall of said box and suitably secured therein is a series of wires, rods, or strips B, of any suitable material, which form the bottom of the box. A cross wire, rod, or strip 0 extends across and above the wires, rods, or strips B and has its ends secured in the ends D of the box. This cross wire rod, or strip C is bent, curved, and

to permit the fingers to be readily placed under the edges and the article thereby readily picked up and removed. My invention may also be used as supplementary to instead of a substitute for the ordinary flat box-bottom, and for this purpose the wires, rods, or strips B may be secured in the box abovethe bottom and the cross wire, rod, or strip above them. a

It is obvious that only one Wire 13 may be employed and more than one arched or curved member 0 Without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A mailbox or similar receptacle provided with an interior arched Wire, rod, or strip, ex-' tending across and curved above the bottom of the box, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A mail-box or similar receptacle having a bottom composed of separated wires, rods or strips and an arched cross wire, rod or strip extending above the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MOLANE.

Witnesses:

F. W. BARNES, F. 11. HEALD. 

